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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29251251">Even Breathing Feels Alright</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsallonfire/pseuds/itsallonfire'>itsallonfire</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Your Love is Sunlight (Winter ATLA Femslash Week 2021) [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: Legend of Korra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>ATLA Winter Femslash Week 2021, F/F, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Moon, Pining, Sexuality Crisis, but lin has other ideas, lin revisiting uncle sokka's wisdom, sapphic moon spirit time, this is... very sweet i'll be honest, yue gives the best advice</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:40:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,769</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29251251</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsallonfire/pseuds/itsallonfire</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lin is in the middle of a crisis about her feelings for Kya, so she does what Sokka always told her to do: talk to Yue.<br/>Prompt: The Moon</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lin Beifong/Kya II, Lin Beifong/Tenzin (mentioned)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Your Love is Sunlight (Winter ATLA Femslash Week 2021) [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138073</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>138</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Even Breathing Feels Alright</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Some more young Kya and Lin :) This was so, so fun to write, so I really hope y’all enjoy it as much as I liked writing it!<br/>Rated T for language and discussion of some suggestive themes.<br/>(Title from Alexi Murdoch's song "All of My Days.")</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lin sat at the end of the bed after Kya had fallen asleep. She wrung her hands like she was trying to get something out of them, squeezing them pure white in the dark. Looking back at the woman lying in her bed, only barely covered by a sheet, hips and breasts and neck well-marked, Lin sighed and resisted the urge to slip back under the covers and pull Kya in tight. </p><p>Her dark skin and hair seemed to have been kissed by the light from the window, an odd mix of streetlamp blue and moonlit silver. Whatever it was, it tempted Lin all the more. </p><p>She stood though, and pulled on the clothes that she had stripped out of an hour before. A glance at the clock told her it was nearly midnight, but her damn heart tugged her out towards the door. She sat again on the edge of the mattress to pull her boots on haphazardly. </p><p>“Where are you going?”</p><p>Lin looked back at Kya, eyes barely open and squinting at her in the dark room. </p><p>“Just out for a walk,” she said quietly. “I’ll be back in a few minutes, you go back to sleep.”</p><p>“I can leave,” Kya offered. Her voice weighed itself down with exhaustion. “If you want, I don’t want to --”</p><p>Lin brushed her hand through the air dismissively. “No, you’re fine. I just want to get some air.”</p><p>“Be safe,” Kya mumbled before settling back into a comfortable position, surely asleep again within seconds.</p><p>Lin stood and gazed at her for a little longer than she cared to admit to herself.</p><p>Late-summer had fixed its warmth to the sidewalk outside, where Lin took the route towards the docks at the bay. While walking, she fumbled her hair up into a low ponytail and shoved her hands into the pockets of her after-work pants. The air felt just a little too hot on the back of her neck.</p><p>Kya’s sleep-riddled voice echoed in Lin’s head, over and over. <em> I can leave. </em>The thought alone turned Lin’s stomach, a selfish desperation that insisted she be able to wake up in the morning and see what the Sun did to Kya’s skin, too. Part of her wished she had summoned up the courage to give Kya a kiss somewhere before she had left the house. </p><p>Lin wondered how the woman might have reacted. A smile, perhaps, or a contented sigh. Or maybe she would have tensed and been gone before Lin could offer an explanation</p><p>The bay was always quiet at night, though, and offered a relief from Lin’s spiraling thoughts. Lin thought only for a second that it was a strange place to visit, but it would suit perfectly for her need that night. She watched the sky as she kicked stones to the side off the warfs, listening to the satisfying <em> plunk </em> they made upon contact with the water. Rippling, piercing rings of white in the dark shallows.</p><p>Lin followed the line of light, from the water to the horizon and over a ladder of stars. The Moon was full that night -- or at least close enough -- and Lin stopped for a second to gaze up at her in admiration, lips curled in a smirk.</p><p>“Good evening, Yue,”  said Lin quietly. She scratched at her neck before sitting with her legs dangling off of the dock. “You look lovely.”</p><p>She rubbed her hands together insecurely, acknowledging the shimmer of silver gratitude that shone down on her palms. A cool lick of air seemed to caress her cheek. </p><p>Leaning into it with a smile, Lin trembled in a breath. “I wanted to tell you about something,”  she said. She rubbed her thighs with the balls of her hands. “I remember Sokka telling us we could always come to you.”</p><p>When her hair ruffled with a sigh of <em> always, </em> Lin continued, “I don’t want any kind of advice, I just need -- I need to get the thoughts out. I don’t know who else to tell about this, and I -- I know you won’t be angry with me.”</p><p>Sweet tones that could only belong to the Moon spirit hummed on the breeze. <em> Never. </em>  The hair on Lin’s neck rose. <em> Tell me. </em></p><p>Lin nodded at the granting of permission. “I’ve been spending time with someone,” she whispered. “And -- And thinking about her, when she isn’t around. I don’t… I don’t want to think about her so much, but I do and I guess… I need to figure out what it means.”</p><p>
  <em> Kya. </em>
</p><p>“Yeah. Of course you know.” Lin bit down hard on her lip. “I’m sure she talks to you all the time. She actually knows how to acknowledge her feelings.”</p><p>She had to chuckle along with the laugh of wind. Her heart weighed heavy again, though, when Yue’s response floated towards her.</p><p>
  <em> You think you like being with her more than you should. </em>
</p><p>“I love -- fuck.” Lin shut her eyes and dove into petrifying honesty. “I love being with her. I do. She’s wonderful and she’s kind to me and she’s the most beautiful person in the world and she makes me happier than I feel like I’ve ever been.” No more words would come. Not without hosting a flood of tears, at least. She lowered her eyes to the water again, almost shamefully.</p><p>But cool wisps of air stroked her chin up again, encouraging her eyes to meet the Moon, unyielding and shimmering against the sky. </p><p>“But I loved being with Tenzin, too.” Lin sighed. “He wasn’t right, though. He was wonderful too, but he wasn’t right.” She dragged her fingers underneath her nose, trying to maintain her composure, even with only one very calm witness.</p><p><em> You’ve been with Kya now, too, </em>  Lin heard Yue tell her quietly. <em> But not necessarily for love. </em></p><p>Lin nodded. “Not at first, but -- even when she isn’t around, I can’t stop thinking about her.” She let the breeze ruffle her bangs comfortingly. “It was meant to be just a -- I don’t know, just another fucking fling, or whatever, but when she’s gone I think about -- about how she smells and tastes and how pretty she smiles at me. And how she talks to me.” If she closed her eyes, she saw tan, slender hands and bright grins again, belonging to the woman back in her apartment. “And touches me.”</p><p>
  <em> You love her.</em>
</p><p>Lin shut her eyes tighter, an attempt to escape from the thought but only falling deeper into the memories of the woman in her head. </p><p><em> You love her, </em>  whispered a faint beam of light, firmer this time. <em> And she loves you. </em></p><p>Lip quivering, Lin dropped her face into her hands. “I do,” she admitted. “I didn’t want to think it, though.” Hot tears glinted in their descent to the water.</p><p><em> Why is that, love? </em>asked Yue calmly, cool palm of light back on Lin’s cheek.</p><p>“Because -- Because it’s not what I’m meant to do,” Lin managed to choke out. “I’m meant to go running back to Tenzin again. Beg him to love me again, but I don’t want to. And it’s wrong, somehow. But I love it when I’m with Kya and I just don’t want to --” She had to stop. Her heart twisted too much, too painfully to handle more confessions.</p><p>A cool finger of silver light stroked tears away from her cheek. <em> You don’t want to pretend anymore. </em></p><p>Shaking breaths allowed Lin to compose herself enough to nod and murmur, “Yeah. I don’t.” She considered such an option, not pretending to still be distraught over Tenzin and his teenaged girlfriend. Not pretending to be on the lookout for attractive bachelors. Not pretending to forget about Kya’s warmth and beauty the moment the sex was done.</p><p><em> Lin. </em> </p><p>A gust of wind ushered her up to gaze towards the Moon again, cool air on her cheeks, something calm finally soothing her racing heart. </p><p><em> Nothing is broken, Lin. </em> The breeze kissed up against Lin’s forehead and dried away the tears lingering on her cheeks. <em> You are not broken. Loving a woman is beautiful, and it seems that you know that. </em></p><p>“I do. I do know that. I just don’t know what to do about it.” Lin let herself inhale deeply. “I thought I could just… just have her over and fuck her every now and then and not think twice, but I feel so much for her now.”</p><p><em> You’re not here to save anyone but yourself, </em>  whispered Yue. <em> You’re exactly how you’re meant to be. </em></p><p>Lin heaved a heavy sigh and nodded. “Yeah. I know you’re right. I guess I just needed to talk to someone about it.”</p><p>
  <em> If you love her, tell her. She loves you. </em>
</p><p>“Yeah.” Lin smiled, heart suddenly pulling her back towards her apartment. “Yeah, I’ll try.” A smile up at the Moon, and Lin added, “Thank you, Yue. I suppose Sokka was right.”</p><p>
  <em> He always was. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>--------------------------</p><p> </p><p>Lin slipped quietly back into her bedroom after returning home. She shifted over and looped an arm around Kya’s stomach, fingers drifting against her side. Propping herself up an an elbow, she watched Kya’s eyes flicker open again.</p><p>“You okay?” asked Kya groggily. </p><p>Lin inhaled, throat trembling and certainly giving something away. She looked away for a moment. “Can I, um -- Can I tell you something?”</p><p>Kya’s hand retrieved Lin’s from her torso and squeezed gently. “Of course, what’s up?”</p><p>Lin almost shut her eyes, but Kya’s sleepy expression was too lovely to shut out. “I think… I think I love you.”</p><p>The chaos that Lin had braced herself for never came. She watched Kya’s brief look of surprise turn quickly into a grateful smile, teeth just barely showing through her lips.</p><p>“Leave it to Lin Beifong to confess her love for someone in the middle of the night,” Kya joked. She brought Lin’s hand up to kiss it. “I think I love you, too. And I love that you’re dense enough to not notice until now.”</p><p>The sigh of relief Lin released turned into a laugh halfway through. She lowered her forehead to touch Kya’s, taking the moment to let the last of her anxiety disperse.</p><p>“Come on, dumbass,” said Kya, pulling Lin down to cuddle up beside her. “We’ll talk about this more in the morning.”</p><p>“Sure.” Lin nestled in against Kya’s chest, a feeling that she had yearned to experience for months. Her skin smelled delightfully like marshmallow and almond and Lin smiled when Kya pressed a kiss to her forehead.</p><p>Lin smiled and blinked up at the window, finding the Moon again, gazing down at her from the sky. </p><p>
  <em> Well done, love.  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yay! I really am proud of this piece, so I hope you liked it! Leave a comment if you have any thoughts you'd like to share :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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